Some people insist women universities should become coeducational because there is no longer a need to promote the education for females. That is, Korean society now enjoys equality among the sexes in terms of education. Indeed, some women’s universities in Korea have widened their student body to include males. Sookmyung Women’s University has found itself the center of much heated debate over whether to become coeducational. Interestingly, most students and alumnae believe Sookmyung should retain its status as a women’s university. The Sookmyung Times surveyed Sookmyungians’ perspectives on the reasons of retaining its identity as a women’s university.
Lee Youngju
Department of Social Psychology ’15
One of the great things about a women’s university is the number of reasonably priced and tasty restaurants and coffee shops near the school. Restaurants and coffee shops near coeducational universities are different in menu and tend to be more pricy. Also, because all students are female, school facilities are well suited to the needed of women. Personally, I would feel uncomfortable if male students were permitted to enter study rooms and other buildings in our school. In addition, I am proud of the number of innovative, up-and-coming young women in our school. I admire their genius and great minds.
Ha Miyeon
Department of German Language & Culture ’14
Students in women’s universities are able to establish themselves as formable women, develop their leadership, and apply learnt knowledge to better their lives. Although I graduated from a girls’ high school, I have never regretted my decision to enter a women’s university. First, I am able to share thoughts that women can understand easily and comfortably on campus because everyone is female. Secondly, students must become more dominant and stop silly reliance on males to do such things as heavy lifting. Thirdly, a female university centres on why women must study and how to be successful in a male-oriented business society. Because education that reflects the physical, mental, and social needs of women is still needed, women universities are still quintessential institutes.
Koh Eun
Division of Economics ’13
The great thing about women’s universities is that it nurtures technically competent women by providing a lot of opportunities. For example, Sookmyung Women’s University operates unique programs such as its Reserve Officers Training Corps (ROTC) and Sookmyung Leadership Group. These groups act as cornerstones from which students spring from into leadership positions in society. Coeducational universities also provide various programs, but at coed-universities, men tend to seize all the openings in those programs. Likewise, I think women’s universities should continue to operate in order to promote self-esteem among females; that is, continuously advocate to students that women have the same rights and freedom as men in Korean society.
Shin Euirang
Division of Law ’11
Simone de Beauvoir, French author and philosopher, once said, “Man is defined as a human being and a woman as a female – whenever she behaves as a human being she is said to imitate the male.” Despite the number of years that have passed since attaining equality in the law, women still suffer from discrimination. Women still face hardships preparing to obtain employment and at work. Also, there are still cases of discrimination towards women at coeducational universities. However, at women’s universities, students do not have to endure such atrocities because of their gender. At women universities, women are seen as “human beings.” In today’s society women leaders are still rare, so women universities must to exist to ensure women to grow to be confident citizens and leaders.
